Nanterre Coeur de Quartier - Le Cristal

DesignerManal Rachdi

PrizeHonorable Mention

Entry Description

The Crystal reflects a history that goes back to the ancient landscapes of Nanterre. The building offers new sensations of nature under its own climate. The proposal reinterprets the scale of today's buildings with the aim to preserve the biodiversity of its natural environment.
The project is a housing development program of 7300m². It includes three emergencies in the same block laying together on a common commercial base. The towers are connected by a series of terraces planted in cascade. The 12-story tower is marked by a transparent prow that captures the sunlight and gives this block its crystal character. The angles are fragmented, broken and sawn to reflect the shards of light in the image of the crystal.
The Crystal integrates, in an unprecedented way, the architecture of landscape and towers, offering to Nanterre a new architectural icon which symbolizes the sustainable future of the neighborhood and the city.